Melissa noticed some sort of beetle that was in our house and asked me to get it. When I picked it up, it made a snapping noise and I could feel it making a folding type motion. When I tossed it outside, it landed on its back and then it snapped. It popped three or four inches up in the air and landed upright. I imagine these types of beetles are fairly well known among those who know beetles, but I do not know what kind it is. [ed: they are more commonly called click beetles]

I have heard a number of new (for me) birds in the last Month since I posted the bird list. Four I have managed to identify are: Hermit Thrush, Swainson’s Thrush, Tree Swallow, and American Widgeon. In addition, I have heard a number of other bird singing which I have not been able to identify.

Saturday Randy Nutting and I decided to head out to Medvejie Lake and visit the falls that are about 1/3 of the way up the Cross Mountain side of the lake. It had been a while since I was last at the lake (Summer 1999) and even longer since I had gone to the base of the waterfall. I thought it would be a relatively easy early summer hike to start getting in better condition. The weather was mostly cloudy out in Silver Bay, but back up Medvejie valley, the clouds were heavier. A breeze was blowing from the head of the valley, so it was a bit of a chore to paddle up the lake. I imagine that when the wind really gets going down the valley, the waves can probably stack up pretty good. Unlike in 1999, there was very little snow left in the valley behind the lake. I may try to go back again later this summer and do a loop back to Camp Lake then up to Bear Lake and finally down Bear Mountain to the road. The brush could be a challenge up behind the Medvejie Lake. Saw a few plants blooming, though most were coming up but not in flower. I think they are a week or two behind those in town. The one in particular I remember blooming was a Cooley’s Buttercup along the gravel spit where the water from the waterfall entered the lake.